Peter and Thomas
by Christine Writer
Summary: Please Read! Please R&R, full summary inside! Rated K plus for anguish and such. Christian Content.
1. Peter edited

Summary: Six months after the raid on the Bismarck. Peter is in a concentration camp, and Thomas is there. I'm trying to be fairly historically accurate, so if you have any information that I don't, please pass it on!

Edited for character mistakes.

* * *

Peter's frail body ached as it never had before. His torso was covered with deep bruises, and the cuts were so numerous on his limbs that he appeared striped. He had now been in Neuengamme, a concentration camp near Hamburg, for six months.

This particular day had begun with roll call before dawn, and stretched on with so many hours of labor that Peter had forgotten when he'd started. It was now late at night, and he was lying in the bunk he shared with two other young men, wide awake. He yearned for sleep, but his mind would not turn off. Thoughts spun like dervishes in his head.

Were Willi and their mother doing all right? Where was Evey? Had she been captured? Had she even been at the Bismarck that horrific night? He couldn't remember. And where was Thomas? Had he realized the truth that Peter had tried so hard to impart to him? Peter prayed it was so.

Peter did not sleep that night. Instead, he prayed. He had become a Christian shortly after imprisonment, from a man named Johann in his barracks. Johann had hidden Jews in his home ever since Hitler's reign of terror had begun in 1933, and had been arrested a year before. He now spent all the time he could witnessing to everyone and anyone who would listen to him. Peter had been led to Christ by Johann, and Peter was so thankful. He didn't know what his life would be like now if he hadn't surrendered it to Jesus.

"Jesus, I know you're here with me tonight, and with Johann, but Lord, please be with Thomas. Let him know that I'm alive. Let him know that I'm not going to give up. And, Lord, please let him know You. He needs You so much, Lord." Peter then fell into a restful sleep, for a few hours, until roll call.

* * *

Miles away, in Hamburg, Thomas was awake, too. He wondered where Peter was. He'd heard months before that most of the swing kids had been taken to Neuemgamme, but he hadn't been able to secure a post there. He laid his heart open, but to whom he did not know. He just talked into the night, not caring who heard. "I'm sorry. Sorry that I turned in my father, and sorry that I hurt Peter. I'm so sorry." Just saying the words made him feel much better. And somehow, he knew that Peter was alive. He just knew. This comforted him, and he promised himself that he would try as hard as possible to get a post at Neuemgamme. He had to.

* * *

A week later, mostly through the work of Herr Knopp--the Gestapo man who was now married to Peter's mother--he had his post. He swallowed hard as he entered the camp. He had to find Peter.

* * *

Peter was sluggishly completing his tasks, praying that he would move quickly enough to please his overseers, but slow enough that he wouldn't pass out from working. His parched lips cracked, but he pressed on. The Nazis were watching. He turned toward his overseers to report on his progress, and was shocked when he saw a familiar face approaching. Thomas?

Thomas spotted Peter's weak frame instantly, and almost ran to his former friend. He held himself in check. Instead of running to Peter's side, Thomas reported to his superior, who assigned him to watch over Peter's group, as training. Thomas couldn't believe his luck! He marched to the overseers, saluted, and watched Peter. The tears in his eyes almost gave him away, but he forced his face into a contorsion of anger and ridicule.

This was the expression Peter found on Thomas's face when he looked up. Anger. Ridicule. What had the Nazis done to Thomas? Was he truly as hardened as he appeared? His heart sank as he realized that Thomas hadn't changed, but instead continued down a path of destruction, littered with memories of friends and family betrayed. That was the moment Peter began to weep silently for his friend.

This is only the first of many chapters (hopefully) to come, and I would appreciate feedback!


	2. They Deserve To Be Free

Many thanks to Shawcross Gal, who is writing _Bei Mir Bist du Schon_, the story that inspired me to write mine.

Thomas watched over Peter that whole day, trying to invent a way of escape, but he couldn't think of one. He tried dozens of scenarios in his head, but they all had too many variables to be an option.

Day after day passed like this. Thomas did not--could not--say anything to Peter, and it was tearing him to pieces. He knew that Peter thought that he hated him, and he couldn't do anything about it.

One day, Peter was not working quickly enough. An overseer stood over him and beat him with a club.

"No!" Thomas could not hold it in any longer. He tore the club from his fellow overseer's hands before he knew what he was doing.

"Are you going soft, Berger? Having pity on this traitor?" the overseer demanded.

"No." Thomas lied. "You aren't doing it correctly. It's like this." He demonstrated by beating Peter as hard as he could, but trying to strike where Peter was yet untouched. Peter collapsed completely under the rain of fresh blows, and Thomas almost choked on the lump in his throat. What had he done? Thomas yanked Peter to his feet. "Stand up, swine!" he yelled roughly. Peter struggled to stand on his own, but couldn't. He fell back to the ground. "Take him to the hospital!" he ordered the overseer.

"Are you mad, Berger?"

"Take him." Thomas insisted. "I want him to be strong so I can work him to death personally." Thomas grinned wolfishly, masking the wretchedness he felt within. The overseer nodded and hauled Peter to his feet. He then escorted Peter to the hospital.

Thomas waited for night to fall the next day, and then he went to see Peter. He roused Peter from sleep by touching him on the shoulder. Peter reacted in stark terror, and suddenly Thomas had a terrible flashback of when Arvid had been in the hospital.

"Peter, hush." Thomas restrained his friend, wanting to retch at the sight of Peter. He had done this to him. "I'm here to take you away."

"Where?" Peter managed painfully, a thread of fearfulness winding its way through the word.

"Out of here. To Evey's. To my house--I don't know--just out of here!"

"Can you take me home?" Peter asked, almost childlike.

"I'm so sorry, Peter. I can't. Your mother married that Gestapo swine, Herr Knopp."

"No." Peter gasped.

"Yes." Thomas nodded. "I'm so sorry, Peter."

Thomas took the opportunity of a change of staff to lift Peter from the bed. He almost cried at how light Peter was--he weighed no more than a small child.

They escaped by foot under the cover of night, right under the nose of a sleeping watchman. Neuegamme wasn't too far from Hamburg, and Evey lived on the outskirts of town. They made it to her house in the wee hours of the morning.

Thomas knocked as quietly as possible on the door. Evey answered almost immediately. "Thomas?" she gasped. Then she saw the limp form in Thomas's arms. "Peter!"

"Can he stay here, Evey?" Thomas asked.

"I'm so sorry, Thomas; he can't. My mother, like Peter's, married a Nazi to secure standing. Peter wouldn't be safe staying here."

"Where can we go, then?" Thomas asked.

"Arvid's apartment!"

"What?"

"Helga's been living there. Her family kicked her out for dating a cripple. She can help you."

"Do you have a way for us to get there without me having to carry Peter?"

"Yes. Wait around back." Evey disappeared back into the house, and Thomas carried Peter around to the back of the house. Evey met them there with a bicycle and small cart. Thomas placed Peter in the cart, covered him with an old blanket, and took him to Helga's apartment. As he biked through the streets of Hamburg, he noticed how deserted they were. People were afraid of curfew, he supposed. Helga met them at the door; Evey had called her. She took Peter from Thomas and settled him into the bed.

"You're a good man, Thomas Berger." she whispered.

Now, Thomas was presented with two problems--he had to be back by dawn at the camp, and he had to return Evey's bicycle and cart. He quickly bid Helga goodnight and returned to Evey's house. He related his plan to her, and she acquiesced. Thomas biked as fast as he could to the camp, Evey riding on the handlebars. They reached Neuegamme just as dawn was breaking. Catcalls from various guards sounded as Thomas jumped off the bike and relinquished it to Evey.

"Hey, Berger, what's a classy girl like that doing with you out all night?" one guard shouted. Thomas just smiled and shrugged.

"I don't know. But I don't really care for her--her stepfather is a block leader in Hamburg."

"Thought you were a man of morals, Berger!"

"No; I'm a national socialist!" he joked, a comment which was met with laughter.

"Did you hear about the guy who escaped last night?" one of the guards asked him at breakfast.

"No." Thomas shook his head and gulped a mouthful of coffee.

"That kid you were beating up yesterday. The traitorous H.J. and former swing kid."

"How'd he get out? I nearly beat him senseless." Thomas commented, lamenting that the fact he'd just told was completely true.

"I don't know--probably another prisoner. A few went missing last night, but two were tracked down and shot. He's the only one who got away. Must have had someone waiting on the other side for him." Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. They would search for Peter, but probably not thoroughly. He was one of thousands of prisoners, with few guards to keep track.

"You okay, Berger? Not green at the thought of traitors being shot, are you?" Thomas shook his head.

"No. They don't belong here." Thomas said, knowing that they would take his words as meaning the prisoners deserved to be dead. What he really meant was that all so-called "traitors" deserved to be free.


	3. The Final Chapter

A/N: This is the last chapter, it's long, and lots happens! Thanks for reading!

Peter woke in Arvid's old apartment. Helga was watching him, making sure nothing happened. "Water..." Peter gasped. Helga got him a glass, and cradled him into a sitting position so he could sip. Then she fed him a small square of toast.

"If you have too much at one time, you can die." she told him bluntly. "Your stomach isn't used to regular food." Peter nodded weakly and drifted back to sleep.

Days went by like this. Helga slowly nursing Peter back to health, and both friends wondering if Thomas was okay.

"Berger--we've got another cart for the ovens." Thomas's superior instructed him to take the cart to the ovens and help the men there burn the bodies. Thomas almost retched at the sight and smell of death. "Still green, Berger?" his superior chuckled.

"No, Sir!" Thomas replied, saluting. Then he completed his task.

That night, he stole away early from his shift, and traveled to Helga's apartment. She let him in after he softly gave the signal he'd never forgotten--"It Don't Mean A Thing."

"How is Peter?" Thomas asked as the pair mounted the stairs.

"Better." Helga said. "Much better than he was." They entered the room where Peter lay on the bed.

"Peter!" Thomas crossed the room and enveloped his best friend in a gentle hug.

"Thomas..." Tears were in Peter's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked.

"Nothing...I'm glad you're safe, Thomas. So glad. Thank you for everything."

"You shouldn't be worrying about my safety, Peter." Thomas said, his voice thick. "It's because of me that you were ever in danger."

"No, Thomas. It's all right. If I hadn't gone to the camp, I might never have become a Christian."

"You became a Christian?" Thomas asked in disbelief.

"Yes. And no matter what happens to me, I'm secure in Jesus." Peter told his friend, joyfully. "My soul is safe with Him."

"But..." Thomas protested. "A Christian? Peter, did you have to pick such an extreme religion?"

"It's not a religion, Thomas." Peter shook his head. "It's a faith--my faith."

"Oh, Peter. They brainwashed you!"

"Do you think the Nazis are Christians?"

"Well, the Christians are against Jews, aren't they?"

"No!" Peter shook his head in frustration. "Christianity is rooted in Judaism. I was saved through a man in the camp, a Christian who hid Jews in his home for the past six years. He is holding onto life only to tell as many people he can about the truth. Otherwise, he would surrender and let Jesus take him home to Heaven."

"Oh." Thomas felt very small.

"Nazis aren't Christians. Christians love one another, and they even love their enemies. That would definitely rule out the Nazis as Christians."

"So why are you a Christian?"

"I believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in human form to save lost souls. He is our Salvation and Savior."

"Who else believes this nonsense?" Thomas asked.

"I do." Helga spoke for the first time since they had entered the room. "Peter led me to Christ not two days ago."

"Thomas, make the choice to follow Christ." Peter urged. "The man who led me to Christ, Johann, told me about a Bible verse that says if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. The Bible is God's letter to his children, those who believe on his name."

"So all I need to do is believe?"

"That's all, Thomas. And you will be a new creation in Jesus."

"How do I confess with my mouth?"

"Speak directly to Him. He will listen."

"God, I believe that Jesus is Lord, and that he died and that You raised him from the dead, and I believe he will take me to Heaven when I die someday." Thomas prayed. He was immediately filled with a peace he'd never known before. It felt so comforting.

It didn't last long, though. There was pounding at the door. The police were there, and they arrested Thomas, Peter, and Helga. All three were imprisoned at Neuemgamme, along with Evey. The foursome were to stand trial, due to Peter and Evey's stepfathers' standing.

There wasn't much time, but all three Christians in the small group spoke to Evey every chance they got, and the day before the trial, Evey accepted Jesus as her Savior.

The trial was short, and not entirely fair. It resulted in the death of Peter, Thomas, and Helga, and the imprisonment of Evey. Evey lived through the war, and eventually emigrated to America, where she was welcomed into the tight-knit community of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Evey enjoyed visiting the county libraries, where she spoke about her concentration camp experience, about her salvation, and about her first love, Peter Muller.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'm praying for you!


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